As the amount of home and office wireless accessories is rapidly increasing, there is an increasing demand for broadband wireless access solutions.
As an example, a standard that has been defined to regulate this communication domain is the IEEE 802.15 which is divided to five sub groups 802.15.1-802.15.5. Among these standards, 802.15.3 which deals with High Rate WPAN (Wireless Personal Area Network) is very important for mainly indoor wireless communication.
The IEEE 802.15.3 Task Group 3c (TG3c) was formed in March 2005. TG3c is developing a millimeter-wave-based alternative physical layer (PHY) for the existing 802.15.3 Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN) Standard 802.15.3-2003.
This mm-Wave WPAN will operate in the new and clear band including 57-64 GHz unlicensed band defined by FCC 47 CFR 15.255. The millimeter-wave WPAN will allow high coexistence (close physical spacing) with all other microwave systems in the 802.15 family of WPANs.
In addition, the millimeter-wave WPAN will allow very high data rate over 1 Gbit/s applications such as high speed internet access, streaming content download (video on demand, HDTV, home theater, etc.), real time streaming and wireless data bus for cable replacement. Optional data rates in excess of 3 Gbit/s will be provided.
The need to implement communication system in this frequency range, with such broadband capabilities and at the same time to comply with a commercial requirement of low-cost imposes severe technical difficulties.
One of the candidates to implement this communication domain is MIMO (multiple input multiple output). However for several reasons, (as simulations calculations and mechanical considerations), MIMO is considered not suitable for the foregoing requirements.
There is a need for an innovative technology in order to provide a cost effective system that will be able to fulfill the requirements of high frequency, high bandwidth and low cost. The technical system performance recognized as indispensable for the mentioned achievements is the improvement of the antenna beam focus, together with the ability of wide beam steering of the antenna.
A possible solution is the use of phased arrays antenna system, which had recently shown significant improvements.